Pubdate: Sat, 29 Jan 2000
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2000 The Arizona Republic
Contact:  200 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix, AZ 85004
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/news/
Forum: http://www.azcentral.com/pni-bin/WebX?azc
Author: Brenda Kirksey
Note: "Last week's (Jan. 22) questions about the war on drugs brought a
record 161 letters."
Bookmark: MAP's link to Arizona articles is: http://www.mapinc.org/states/az

REASONS TO LEGALIZE

Indeed, why not legalize drugs? Here are some good reasons favoring
legalization:

Anyone who wants drugs now can easily obtain them anyway.

Legalization would end the "forbidden fruit" appeal of illegal drugs.

Most drug violence would end, as would brutalization of drug users,
corruption of police, and the clogging of courts, prisons, and jails.

It would free social resources for efficient drug education and
compassionate treatment of addicts.

Most deaths from overdoses would end because legal drugs would offer both
quality control of the product, and an avenue to sue the sellers of
adulterated drugs - neither concept currently exists under drug
prohibition.

Drug smugglers and dealers will have to acquire legitimate job skills
because they will find themselves permanently out of work.

- - Brenda Kirksey, Phoenix
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MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst